WETLANDS PANEL CONSIDERING RESTRICTIONS

The inland wetlands and watercourses agency is considering a variety of conditions it could impose if it approves the proposed Lowe's home center on Route 44.

On Thursday, the agency spent more than 3 1/2 hours discussing 15 to 20 restrictions and requirements that could be conditions for approval.

Agency Chairman Robert Oswald said Friday the conditions address various concerns, including the project's storm water management plan, the sequence of construction, erosion control and post-construction maintenance of the site.

Oswald said the agency may vote on the proposal when it meets at 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Canton Community Center.

Lowe's wants to build a 149,592-square-foot home center, which would become the largest building in Canton. The site is behind the Valley Car Wash on Route 44 and is bordered by the Simsbury and Avon town lines.

The agency has held about 12 hours of public hearings, gathering testimony from Lowe's officials, soil scientists and residents.

Agency member David Shepard described the project as "big and complicated," but said the agency had gathered all the facts it needed to make an informed decision.

"This is a very thorough group of people," he said.

The project also has to be approved by several other town land-use boards. Specific aspects, such as a new traffic light on Route 44, would need state approval.

Lowe's has withdrawn its application to the town twice, once because of a technical error by the town and a second time after an inland wetlands agency hearing in February.

Lowe's told the town at the time the firm wanted "time to better evaluate, address and respond to the various questions and suggestions which we have received."

The 24-acre site has about 1.4 acres of wetlands, in the northeast corner of the property, near Route 44.

If approved by the wetlands agency, the project would then go before the zoning commission. A subcommittee of that commission, the design review committee, has already begun reviewing the project.

Zoning commission chairman Jay Weintraub said Friday that the earliest the project could come before his panel is Aug. 15, and detailed discussion may not be held until mid-September.